For Clifton Buchanan, it is now tight. The man from Texas got to the end of the week because of the budget freeze in the United States for the first Time, no paycheck, as hundreds of thousands of Americans. Savings. the 50-Year-old to feed but a family and a house to pay off Buchanan is the head of the household, has a wife and an eleven-year-old daughter. He is a staff of approximately 800,000 Federal government, since shortly before Christmas, the unpaid furlough endure or without pay must continue to work because of a political dispute creates parts of the government apparatus in America to a standstill.

The past three weeks have been stressful for Buchanan. But due to the unusual salary payment, he is now – like many others – really in trouble. Since Saturday, it is not the longest Shutdown in American history – and an end in sight.

two weeks vacation

Buchanan has been working for more than 20 years for the state. Actually, he is the prison cook. Since a couple of years, he is parked as an employee representative for the prison employees in Texas and States next door. For three weeks he is on leave, forced, without salary.

Buchanan is a big, powerful man with a white beard and a deep voice. Nevertheless, he seems a little helpless. Now he could pay no bills, he says. And from now on, only buy the Essentials: food, Fuel or School supplies for his daughter. The condition of scratches on his Pride. “I have always paid my bills, I was never late.” Now, this is different. He was afraid he would lose his house and his car, when he could no longer pay the loan installments, tells Buchanan.

“I have no Money”

he has not. In the case of a single income for his family of three remaining at the end of the month. “I have no Savings. We live from paycheck to paycheck.“

The many Americans. The American Central Bank, the Fed reported last year, 40 percent of Americans could not cope with an unexpected expense in the amount of $ 400 (less than 350 Euro), to borrow, without money or possessions to sell.